Lies Awake, Heartbroken Inside
by Fueled By Dr. Pepper
Summary: Jacob Black one-shot. OC love interest.


**A/N: Again, I don't own Jacob Black or any other wolves. Sadly.**

"But I love you."

I whispered hoping it would change things. He simply shook his head, "You think you do. You really don't. I don't love you so you can't possibly love me."

I wanted to tell him he was wrong, that I did love him, and that he could grow to love me. But all I could muster was a quiet sob as he walked away.

I told myself he would soon realize his mistake and to just be patient. A few hours would pass and he'd call. A few days could pass and he'd come over. A few weeks passed and I saw him with someone new.

I couldn't handle it. Through the haze of people telling me I deserved better and that it just wasn't meant to be, I lost something. Hope.

I went on with life in the most basic sense. A fake smile plastered on face, running through the motions of daily life, crying myself either to sleep or until the tears ran out at night. I even worked more hours at my job on the reservation to fill the time. I was familiar with most of the boys on the reservation but not close to any in particular. I worked at a little convenience store on the reservation that got a good flow of customers and some good business that kept me occupied but not running around.

I noticed the boys I knew seemed to all be going through growth spurts and they started forming a separate group. I wasn't completely fine with it but it didn't seem like my business.

It was in these long periods during my shift that I truly got to know these boys: Sam, Quil, Jared, Paul, and eventually even Embry and Jacob. They were nice enough, if not a little cautious of me walking home alone. They just seemed paranoid.

It was funny, they were so tall I never really looked any of them in the eyes; I just spoke to shoulders or chests. They had noticed how out of it I always was but I never felt close enough to any of them or strong enough to admit I was heart broken. They soon got the message and stopped bringing it up. Jacob never let it go though. He was so concerned I was never mad about it. It was a slow day when he came in alone to buy a snack. He paid for it but he didn't leave the counter.

"Do you need something else?" I asked nervously.

"No, but I can tell you need to get something off your chest. Don't lie to me or blow it off, denying or ignoring it will just delay the healing process."

His words stung me in the worst way, I knew deep down that I was just hurting myself but it had seemed so much easier to let it kill me than to try and muster the strength to move on.

"Jacob, I can't."

I felt my voice crack at the end. Tears were welling up.

"Yes, you can. Just saying it helps. Trust me, I know."

This just confused me and for the first time in what seemed like weeks I looked him in the eye.

My breath was stuck in my throat, blocking my words and my heart jumped into a rapid fire pace pumping blood faster and letting my blush appear more easily. His face had changed no doubt with the other physical changes, it was aged but he still had this wonderfully adorable look to him. I never thought I liked him that way but this encounter had me thinking differently. He saw it too, his own expression softened as he looked in my eyes.

"Jacob, I loved a guy and left me saying I was lying to myself, he moved on just a few weeks later and here it is who knows how long since I've just barely told anyone how devastated I've been. He meant so much and I was just a notch on his belt. The only thing that has ever cheered me up is getting to know you and the other guys. Now, when I looked in your eyes, I saw something and it doesn't matter how you feel because I realized I like you. Scratch that-I love you."

My breath had let my words through and I had no chance to censor myself, my thoughts just took the opportunity to run out. He smiled letting me know I wasn't crazy or jumping ahead of myself. He leaned over the counter and kissed me. There was something so simply fantastic about it that I smiled for the first time since the breakup that nearly broke me.

"I love you too."

His whisper to me afterward was icing on the cake. I was in love and was loved. I wouldn't change a thing.


End file.
